


Meant Just For You

by katayla



Category: Betsy-Tacy Series - Maud Hart Lovelace
Genre: F/M, Yuletide Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-19
Updated: 2015-12-19
Packaged: 2018-05-07 13:53:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5458832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katayla/pseuds/katayla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tacy's love story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Meant Just For You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [spyglass](https://archiveofourown.org/users/spyglass/gifts).



> Thank you to my betas!

"That Kerr! What do you suppose he's made me do now?" Mr. Ray said.

Mr. Kerr had composed a large part of Mr. Ray's conversation over the past few months. To hear Mr. Ray tell it, Mr. Kerr could convince anyone of anything. As it turned out, the thing that Mr. Kerr had done was convince Mr. Ray to invite him for Sunday night lunch, which perhaps didn't take so much convincing. Everyone any of the Rays met eventually made their way to the house for Sunday night lunch.

"How old is he?" Mrs. Ray asked. "I ought to find him a girl."

Tacy's glance flickered to Betsy, and she smiled at her. Like mother, like daughter. Betsy, too, looked to pair off her friends. It was kindly meant, and yet Tacy would much rather stay at home than spend the evening with a boy she cared nothing for.

Mr. Ray said Mr. Kerr was twenty-seven or twenty-eight, and Betsy called him a greybeard. 

"Why, I don't think twenty-seven is so old!" Tacy said. Half of her siblings were over twenty-seven.

But then everyone laughed and when Mrs. Ray told her she could be in charge of Mr. Kerr, Tacy knew she had made a mistake.

"I'm not even coming for Sunday night lunch this week," Tacy said. That is, she wasn't _now._ She would much rather hear about Mr. Kerr from Mr. Ray than meet the man.

But Betsy didn't let get away with that, as Tacy should've known.

Betsy walked Tacy halfway home and Tacy almost brought it up, tried to find a way to miss lunch, but she didn't think Betsy would _quite_ understand. She would make bright comments at Mr. Kerr and all would be well. Tacy could never quite manage that, not with strangers. But that was okay, Tacy told herself. Betsy would be there and she might not understand, but she would rescue Tacy, if Tacy needed rescuing.

So when Tacy walked into the Rays' house, surrounded by her friends, she had almost forgotten about Mr. Kerr and then he was there and _oh_. His _eyes_. Those eyes flashed at her and Tacy blushed and looked away.

And then Mrs. Ray said, "Tacy, Mr. Kerr is your responsibility now," and Tacy _knew_ he was looking at her.

"And is Tacy my responsibility?"

"She certainly is."

Tacy was sure her cheeks had never been so red before.

"I agree, if Tacy does," he said.

He stepped closer to her, held out his hand, and said, "Hello."

Tacy took a deep breath and put her hand in his. "Hello."

And she looked him straight in the eyes, like she never, ever could manage to do with strangers and those bright blue eyes softened and she smiled at him.

And then Mrs. Ray introduced him to Betsy and Dennie and Tony. And Mr. Kerr asked them questions and it was okay then, Tacy thought. She could make it through this evening. He didn't seem like such a stranger after all. Not with those sparkling eyes and that cheerful smile.

Mr. Kerr seemed to like the Crowd. He chatted with everyone and laughed at their jokes. After a while, Tacy slipped out of the cluster of boys and girls and headed to the couch. Mr. Kerr glanced at her, and a moment later, he turned from the others and came to sit next to her.

"I thought you were supposed to be in charge of me," he said.

"Oh!" Tacy said. "Mrs. Ray didn't mean it."

Mr. Kerr smiled. "I am sorry to hear that."

"That is," Tacy said, "I'm sure you would be much happier talking with the others."

"I am sure I would not," Mr. Kerr said, very softly.

"Mr. Kerr--" Tacy said, but dropped off. She suddenly wished, just a little, that she had let Betsy set her up with boys, gone to that dance with Tom. Maybe then she would know what to say to this man.

"Call me Harry," he said, dipping his head next to hers. "I am not so much very older than you."

And his smile, oh, nobody had ever smiled at her like that. 

"Harry."

"Yes?"

And all of sudden she knew what to say.

"It's fine to meet you then," she said, in an Irish brogue.

He laughed and took her hand. "Nice to meet you, Tacy."

Nobody ever, not since she was five years old, had sought her out like this, picked her first to be friends with. Harry kept her laughing and then, when they looked at the albums, she kept him laughing. She could joke with Cab and Tony and some of the others, but to them she was Betsy's best friend. To Harry, she was . . . well, Tacy didn't know, but she didn't think it had to do with Betsy. Which was an odd thought. There wasn't much she and Betsy hadn't shared, these past thirteen years.

George came to pick her up and Tacy made him wait a bit, as she finished telling Harry about the last few photographs in Betsy's album.

"And that's the last of it," Tacy said.

"What's a fellow have to do to get included on some of these adventures?" Harry asked.

"You're a big city man," Tacy said. "What would you be coming down to Deep Valley for?"

Harry reached a hand toward her and then stopped. "May I call on you?"

She put her hand in his. "Yes."

*

"He said he was going to marry you! TO **MARRY** YOU!" Betsy said. Betsy had ran to meet Tacy and her cheeks were flushed.

Tacy felt her own cheeks flush and a smile spread across her face. "Well, and sure now, did he?"

She took Betsy's arm and they walked on together. Betsy kept looking at her, almost in awe, but she didn't say a word about Harry.

Neither did Tacy. All of her life, she had watched her sisters fall in love. Then they entered high school, and her friends started pairing off. But none of the boys had interested Tacy. She'd heard Betsy swoon over Tony freshmen year and remembered staring at him and wondering what she was missing. None of the boys called out to her like that.

She figured that was okay, though. Mary got married right after high school and she told Tacy and Katie to go to college first, that they had plenty of time to get married after that. (Tacy thought Katie wanted to be married to Leo already, but Katie also thought Mary was right.)

But yesterday, well, yesterday, Tacy understood it.

*

Harry showed up at the Kelly's house the next Sunday. "I know you're probably going to the Rays," he said. "But I wanted to meet your family.”

So Tacy introduced him to her parents and Paul and Katie and the other siblings who were at the house. It was, perhaps, the thousandth time someone had called on one of the Kelly daughters, but Mr. Kelly still shook Harry's hand firmly and looked him straight in the eyes and asked Harry about himself.

Oh, Tacy was glad Harry wasn't a high school boy. He told Mr. Ray all about his success as a salesman and his plans for the future and Mr. Kelly smiled and nodded in approval.

After a bit, the conversation drifted away from Harry, and Harry smiled at her. "Do you think I passed muster?"

"Do you care?"

He grinned. "I find myself caring quite a bit."

Tacy tossed her head. "And do you care what their daughter thinks?"

"Very much."

Tacy blushed, but kept her eyes on his. "I've been in love before, you know."

"Have you?"

"Yes, with the King of Spain."

"Well, I can't compete with that."

Tacy smiled. "It's been ten years. Maybe you can help me get over him."

Harry's answering smile made her go warm all over.

*

"Aren't you going to tell me _anything_ about Mr. Kerr?" Betsy burst out, a few weeks later.

"Why, what's there to tell?" Tacy asked. They had just left the Rays' house and were on their way to school.

"Everything! What does he say to you? What do you say to him?"

Tacy shrugged. "The same sort of thing you and I talk about."

Betsy groaned. "But do you like him?"

"Yes."

"Wait." Betsy grabbed Tacy's arm and turned towards her. "Tell me again."

She stared into Tacy's eyes.

Tacy laughed. "I like him, Betsy! And we're going to be late for school."

She shook off Betsy's arm and started walking.

Betsy groaned and hurried after her. "This is the most unsatisfying love affair!"

Betsy and Tacy had some variation of that conversation several times over the next couple of weeks, especially as the _Up and Down Broadway_ rehearsals began. The backstage of the theater seemed made for confidences. Tib talked about Dennie and Betsy talked about Tony (she never mentioned Joe anymore.) But when they turned expectant eyes on Tacy and asked her questions about Harry, she only smiled. There wasn't much to tell. There wasn't anything to analyze or discuss. She knew how he felt and, if she had any doubts, the night of the show put them to rest.

When the cast members exited the show, there he was, standing with her parents and siblings. Behind her, Tacy could hear Betsy and Tib whispering, but she ignored him and reached out her hands to him.

"Thank you for the flowers," she said.

"Thank you for the wonderful performance." He learned closer to her and spoke more softly. "You looked beautiful up there."

Tacy blushed. "Thank you."

And then her family surrounded her and congratulated her. But after they stepped away, Harry took her hand and drew her a little away.

"You didn't have to come all this way," Tacy said. "But I'm awfully glad you did."

"I am, too," Harry said. "I wish I could stay longer."

"You're an important businessman. I'll understand if you have to go rushing off in the night."

"I do," Harry said. "But I will always have time for you."

He lifted her hands to his lips, and her family tactfully looked away.

*

"Let's go up the Big Hill and study," Betsy said to Tacy, the week after Easter.

"Let's!" Tacy said, jumping up from the kitchen table. The weather was warm and Harry hadn't been able to come down that weekend, and Tacy was sick of the house.

An hour later, they were full of sandwiches and cookies, but had done very little studying.

"Tacy," Betsy said, from her position stretched out on the ground. "Do you know, I don't find myself wanting to talk much about Joe?"

"You've talked enough about him in the past."

"Yes, I know," Betsy said. She sat up, and looked at Tacy. "I think I understand now. Sometimes--you don't have to say much, do you?"

"I'm very happy for you, Betsy."

Betsy laughed, and embraced Tacy. "Tib and I thought you would end up a spinster, you know."

Tacy smiled, but didn't say anything. 

*

Tacy could feel Harry Kerr's eyes on her all through graduation. After she accepted her diploma, she turned to the audience and her gaze met his.

And she knew what he would ask her tonight and what she would say.


End file.
